When Patrick Bliley, practice lead for communications, media and technology strategy at Accenture Inc., learned that his firm was looking for a top-quality candidate to fill a position, he immediately thought about his long-time friend and fellow hockey buff Josh Book.

This summer, Mr. Book joined the Toronto branch of the global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company as a senior manager for health and public sector consulting.

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Richard Yerema, managing editor of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, has observed an evolution in family-friendly policies, with virtually all employers offering maternity top-up payments now (from less than half a decade ago), as well as a variety of alternative working arrangements and increasingly generous vacation time – all making these companies exceptional places to work.

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto. Specialty hospital; 1,950 employees. Helps employees save for life after work with generous contributions to a defined benefit pension plan (up to 9.2% of salary).

Chubb Insurance Company of Canada, Toronto. Insurance provider. Offers alternative work arrangements, including shortened and compressed work week options.

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), Toronto. Professional organization; 273 employees. Provides compassionate leave top-up payments (to 100% of salary for eight weeks) for employees needing time to care for a loved one.

Compass Group Canada, Mississauga, Ont. Food service contractors; 11,091 employees. Encourages employees to support initiatives in communities across Canada.

Deloitte & Touche LLP, Toronto. Professional services; 7,922 employees. Manages a global development program that allows employees to gain international work experience through work-exchange opportunities at Deloitte's offices around the world.

Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto. Professional organizations; 468 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up payments to employees who are called upon to care for a loved one (up to 70% of salary for eight weeks).

LoyaltyOne Inc.; Toronto. Marketing; 1,159 employees. Supports employees who are new mothers with maternity leave top-up payments (to 75% of salary for 15 weeks) as well as extended health benefits coverage during their leave.

Manulife Financial Corporation; Toronto. Insurance; 10,804 employees. Head-office building has been designated as a municipal heritage property and is only a short walk to great shopping and restaurants in the popular Yorkville district.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; Toronto. Professional services; 6,255 employees. Maintains local social committees that are committed to creating a social work environment, budgeting from $300 to $500 for each employee for social events throughout the year.

Rogers Communications Inc.; Toronto. Communications; 23,262 employees. The head office features a full suite of onsite amenities, including a fitness centre, rooftop patio, full-service cafeteria and even an onsite Tim Hortons.

Royal Bank of Canada; Toronto. Banking; 53,100 employees. Encourages employees to be their best with an annual week-long convention for 700 of its top performing employees (and their partners) -- all aboard a luxury cruise ship.

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Toronto. Medical services; 4,922 employees. Offers a unique healthcare workplace experience, situated on nearly 100 acres of ravine parkland in midtown Toronto with plenty of greenspace for employees to walk, ride a bike or take a break during the day.

TD Bank Group; Toronto. Banking; 41,360 employees. A pioneering bank that recently introduced the FlexWorkPlace pilot program to accommodate changing and flexible work patterns, complete with redesigned floors that include more meeting rooms, no traditional offices, and a collaborative café where employees can meet and work in a comfortable and informal setting.

TeraGo Networks Inc.; Thornhill, Ont. Internet services; 201 employees. Offers a busy social calendar throughout the year including a summer barbecue and baseball tournament, annual holiday luncheons, and a national sales kick-off event.

Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto. Films; 145 employees. Offers employees free passes to the Toronto International Film Festival as well as access to film screenings and lectures throughout the year.

United Way of Greater Toronto; Toronto. Fundraising, 197 employees. Employees receive paid volunteer days off (up to three days each year).

Whirlpool Canada LP; Mississauga, Ont. Housewares, appliances; 312 employees. Reaches out to the next generation of employees through a paid internship program.

William Osler Health System; Brampton, Ont. Medical services; 2,674 employees. Helps employees plan for life after work with retirement planning assistance services and provides a little peace-of-mind through a defined benefit pension plan.

World Vision Canada; Mississauga, Ont. Social advocacy; 464 employees. In addition to three weeks paid vacation to start, employees can also earn a little extra time-off through a formal earned days-off program.

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